Laugh the Wind
by Charlotte Donahue
Summary: You were bright, spinning and twirling your red hair. I thought you were pretty. But when you laughed and turned to smile at me, grinning as wide as your face could stretch, I saw you were beautiful. The beauty that bubbled up from your heart and spilled


_This was written for kittyeast's challenge, under the title Laugh the Wind. It was quite a difficult title to work with, but there was something quite poetic about it. I enjoyed the challenge, but I'm not quite sure of my finished product. I personally don't enjoy it as much as my other fics, but I hope that you people enjoy it enough to review it. _

_Slàinte,_

_Charlotte _

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You showed me what it was like, what it was like to laugh. Not laugh in the high-pitched giggle sense, nor the sarcastic, annoyed laugh, but to laugh from the heart. That sound, which bubbled up from deep inside you, turning emotions and thoughts into joyous sound. That was your laugh, and you inspired me to laugh like that.

Before you taught me how to laugh, I was sullen, rarely smiling, barely there. I enjoyed the solitude of my mind. Or at least, I thought I enjoyed it.

Until I met you.

You were bright, spinning and twirling your red hair. I thought you were pretty. But when you laughed and turned to smile at me, grinning as wide as your face could stretch, I saw you were beautiful. The beauty that bubbled up from your heart and spilled out of your mouth. Laughter.

When I spent that day with you, outside on the hills, you told me stories about your family. I had met them before, of course, at least your sister. But I still loved it when you regaled me with stories of a real home. After a while, we grew silent, just enjoying the silent companionship. We sat up there, on that green hill, watching the birds fly by and the trees whispering with the wind. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

And then, when I tripped while standing up to go back to the castle, you laughed. It wasn't at me, of course, for you would never do that. It was with me, for I was smiling. And that's when I asked you.

_Lily, teach me how to laugh. _

_Pardon? _

_Teach me to laugh like you do. _

_But Sev, you can laugh. You do it sometimes. _

_Yes, but it sounds nothing like yours. _

You stared at me, trying to see if I was serious, and when you realized I was, you looked away, across the lake. Then you turned back. You told me to laugh from the heart, as if whatever you laughed about was all that you cared about. You told me to laugh the wind, to laugh the colours. You told me to fly when I laughed.

I stared at you like you were crazy.

_Laugh the wind? _I had said incredulously. _That's not possible, Lily. Even you should know that_.

But you just stared at me, hard, and repeated it. _Laugh the wind_.

You said it was the feeling of euphoria, to laugh the wind. The wind carried the secrets of the trees and lake, whispering through everyone's ears. When you laughed the wind, you joined in with the ritual dancing and flying of the invisible force.

_Laugh the wind_.

It was powerful, the wind. And that's why, when you laughed the wind, the wind carried the love straight from your heart out your mouth, creating your genuine, joyous laugh. And that's why, you told me, I had to laugh the wind.

So I tried. You encouraged me every step that I took towards authentic laugh. You laughed, I laughed. And finally, as the sun was setting, I laughed the wind. I thought of a happy memory, kind of like learning a patronus, and concentrated on it. Then I laughed, and you stared at me in amazement. And then together, you and I, we walked back to the castle laughing.

But I forgot how to laugh.

Because we grew up, and you married Potter and I joined the wrong side. I realize that now, what I hadn't realized at the time. That I could not love you, nor you love me, if I picked the side that had to love. But I picked my road, and you picked yours, and we separated.

Shame.

I still miss you today, these many years after your death. I cannot laugh that truly wonderful sound anymore. That time on the hill with you seems so far away, and now, when I think about your laughter lessons, I weep. I do not—I cannot, laugh.

For I cannot laugh the wind when there is no happiness in my heart.

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_Please review!! _


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